Circuit-breaker tripping structure



T. B. EASTBURN. C|RCU|T BREAKER TRIPPING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION H'LED DEC. 23. 1920.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

lam TOR 26 A TTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS B. EASTBURN,

CUTTER ELECTRICAL PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER TRIPPING STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d A 22 1922 Application filedDecember 23, 1920. Serial No. 432,642.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. EASTBURN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Circuit-Breaker Tripping Structure, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to time element or start delaying devices, moreparticularly of the sucker type, and relates more particularly to suchdevices in relation to tripping mechanism for electric switches orautomatic circuit breakers. y

In accordance with my invention the movable element of the startdelaying or time element device is connected by a spring with themovable member, as a magnet armature, tripping member or the like, whosestart is to be delayed, the spring being housed within a rigid memberwhich allows relative movement between the movable element of the startdelaying device and said movable member, the rigid member havinguniversal joint engagement with the movable element of the startdelaying device and having a guiding connection or engagement with saidmovable member.

My invention resides in features hereinafter described and claimed.

For an illustration of one of the forms my invention may take, referenceis to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, illustratingmechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the delay device andits connections,

taken at right angles to the sectional view thereof in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view guiding and separating member.

Fig. 4c is an elevational view at right angles to that of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of means for adjusting the normalposition of armature and start delaying device.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is a base of insulating material upon whichare secured the stationary contacts or terminal blocks 2 and 3 adaptedto be bridged and connected by the movable contact member 4 carried bythe arm 5 pivoted at 6 to a fixed member 7 carried by the base 1.Pivoted to the member 7 at 8 is a toggle link or lever 9 pivoted of theat 10 to the toggle link or lever 11 pivoted to the arm 5 at 12.

In the position illustrated, the toggle 9, 11 1s overtravelled in thatthe pivot 10 is to the rlght and above the line oining the centers ofthe pivots 8 and 12. The contact member is accordingly held locked incircurt closing position illustrated. Carried by the member 7 is anelectro-magnet whose wind ng is 13, connected in series with the circuitcontrolled by the contact 1, or in any other arrangement therein or inany other circuit. The electro-magnet has the poles 14 and 15 with whichis adapted to co-act the armature 16 pivoted at 17. Slidable upwardbetween the pole piece 15 and the strap or bracket 18 is the member 19whose upper end 1s adapted to strike upwardly against the operating arm20 forming an extension of the toggle link 9.

. The member 20 may be actuated for closing or resetting the circuitbreaker by r0tation of the member 21 by handle 22; and the breaker maybe manually tripped, by actuation of the member 23 by inward movement ofthe rod 24 when actuated from its outer end at the button 25.

Carried by the horizontally extending portion 26 of the bracket or strap18 is the cup or chamber 27 whose suitably surfaced bottom 28constitutes'the fixed or stationary element of a start delaying deviceof the sucker type. Co-acting with the stationary sucker element 28 isthe movable sucker element 29, oil or equivalent material being placedin the cup 27 to a depth suitably above the element 29. At the center ofthe movable sucker element 29 is a substantially hemispherical boss 30having a hole into which is hooked the lower end 31 of the helicalspring 32 whose upper end 33 hooks over the pin 35 extending across theaperture or slot 36 in the movable tripping member or armature 16. Therigid guide and separator member 37 is in the form of a tube withinwhich the spring 32 is housed. The tube 37 is open at its lower end andengages the hemispherical lug 30 on member 29, there being accordinglyformed, in effect, a universal joint between the member 29 and themember 37. The tube 37 adjacent its upper end is flattened, as indicatedat 38, the portion 38 having therein the open ended slot 39, holes 40extending through tude,

the flattened members 38, and the aforesaid pin 35 extending throughsaid holes 40. r The cup 27 is threaded cover 41 having an opening 42through which freely extend the spring 32 and tube 37.

Threaded into the side of the cup 27 is the thumb screw 43 extendingthrough the vertical slot 44 in the member 18, whereby the normalposition of the armature 16 with respect to the magnet poles 14 and 15may be adjusted by raising the cup 27 to suitable position while thescrew 43 is loose, and then tightenin the screw 43 and so clamping thecup 2 in adjusted position to the fixed member 18.

The operation is as follows:

When the adhesion of the sucker element 29 to its companion 28 is ofnormal magnitude, upon flow of current of predetermined magnitudethrough the magnet winding 13 the armature 16 will be attractedupwardly, andafter a time, by force communicated to it through spring32, will cause it to separate from element 28, and the armature 16 willthereafter freely rise and engage the member 19 which will carr thetoggle pivot 10 across dead center, allbwing the toggle to collapse andthe movable contact member 4 to separate from the main terminals 2 and 3and so interrupt the circuit.

If, however, the adhesion of members 28 and 29 to each other be abnormalin magnias when the oil or other material in the cup 27 thickens ordries, or for any other reason the adhesion becomes abnormal, the

element 29 will not separate from its companion 28 upon flow of currentof said predetermined magnitude through the magnet Winding '13. If,however, the current through the winding 13"should thereafter materiallyincrease, the breaker will nevertheless be tripped, because uponapplication of the greater attractive force to the armature 16 it willrise, elongating spring 32, and eventually trip the breaker moving themember 19.

The spring 32 draws the member 29 against the lower .end of the tube 37,whereby the member 27 has in effect a universal joint upon the member37, which latter guide or positioning member and further serves to'limit the approach of members 16 and 29 toward each other.

What I claim is: x 1. In circuit breaker tripping mechanism, thecombination with a movable tripping member, of a sucker device having amovable element, a spring connecting said movable sucker element withsaid tripping mem-. ber, and a rigid member pivoted to said trippingmember and having a universal provided with a screw by engaging andjoint with respect to said movable sucker element.

2. In circuit breaker tripping mechanism, the combination with amovabletripping member, of a sucker device having a movable element, a springconnecting said movable sucker element with said tripping member, and atubular member enclosing said spring and limiting approach of saidtripping member and movable sucker element toward each other.

3. The combination with a movable member, of a sucker device having amovable element, a spring connecting said movable sucker element withsaid member, said movable sucker element carrying an element of auniversal joint, a tube enclosing said spring engaging at its open endwith said joint element, and a connection between said tube and saidmovable member.

4. The combination with a movable member having an opening therein, of apin extending across said opening, a sucker device having a movableelement, a spring connecting said movable sucker element with said pin,and a tube enclosing said spring and pivoted on said pin within saidopening.

5. The combination with a movable member having an opening, of a pinextending across said opening, a sucker device having a movable element,a spring connecting said movable element of said sucker device with saidpin, a tube engaging said movable sucker element and enclosing saidspring, said tube being flattened and extending into said opening andhaving a connection with said pin. I

6. The combination with a movable member, of a tube supported at one endon said movable member, a sucker device having a movable element, aspring connecting said movable sucker element with said movable memberand disposed within said tube, said tube engaging said movable suckerelement at its opposite end, said tube separating from said movablesucker element upon elongation of said spring by said movable member.

In circuit breaker tripping mechanism, the combination with a movabletripping member, of a sucker device having a movable element, a springconnecting said movable sucker element with said tripping member, and arigid member attached to said tripping member and engaging said movablesucker element and separating from said movable sucker element uponmovement of said tripping member away from said movable sucker element.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 20th dayof December, 1920.

THOMAS B. EASTBURN.

